How To Grill Chicken Thighs On Charcoal Grill

What Can You Serve With Grilled Chicken Thighs

Beginners Guide to Grilling Chicken Thighs

Grilled chicken thighs are about as versatile as they come, so you can pair this entrée with almost any sides you want. Were partial to the classics: potato salad, grilled or roasted vegetables and a cool, crisp salad. If you want to switch things up, why not try sweet-and-salty watermelon skewers or a batch of savory melted onions?

How Do You Grill Chicken Thighs Without Burning Them

The easiest way to not burn chicken thighs on the grill is to cook them slowly over indirect heat, so the fat wont cause major flare ups and the flames wont have a chance to burn the meat. Also, make sure youve oiled the grill grate with neutral oil or grilling spray before cooking so the chicken doesnt stick.

Preparing The Chicken Thighs For The Grill

Remove the chicken from the packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Removing the moisture from the meat helps to reduce the risk of it sticking to the grate.

I like to mix my seasonings in a small bowl and then season the thighs. If you prefer to sprinkle the spices individually, you can do that too. Just make sure that you season both sides of the thighs.

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Mix Up A Marinade Dry Rub Or Brine

Unless glazing with a barbecue sauce, always season your chicken, whether it’s boneless breasts or the whole bird. Wet marinades, dry rubs and brines all add flavor and moisture to chicken breasts and can also act as a tenderizer. Here’s what to know about each type:

A wet marinade is any type of highly seasoned liquid, such as herb or spice pastes, wines, spiced oils, vinaigrettes, yogurt/buttermilk, Cuban mojo, etc. If a marinade includes something very acidic, like vinegar, wine or citrus, keep the marinating time relatively quick 30 minutes to three hours, depending upon the thickness of the chicken breast and cut it with a little olive oil. Yogurt and buttermilk, which are both rich in lactic acid, are much less acidic and can stand a longer marinating time two to six hours, depending upon the chicken’s thickness. Non-acidic marinades, like herbs and spices mixed with oils, can sit for two to 10 hours.

How Long Does It Take To Grill Chicken At 300 Degrees

Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

Whether you grill it upright in front of the beer can chicken or on its back, the temperature range for your grill is 93-149°C . This is a long, slow cooking process that takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the bird and how your grill maintains temperature.

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How To Cook Chicken On A Weber Charcoal Grill

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So you just got yourself a Weber charcoal grill and youre wondering how you can go about using it to cook a sumptuous chicken. While you probably know the basics, there are certain things that you are probably not aware of. Here are some tips how to cook chicken on a weber charcoal grill.

In this post we’ll cover:

How Can I Debone Chicken Thighs

If you cant find boneless skinless chicken thighs at the grocery store, you can always remove the bone yourself!

Heres a great guide on how to debone chicken thighs if those are all you can find in the store.

Grilling them with the bone in is also another option, but since the bone will absorb some of the heat, youll want to grill them a bit longer. Aim to cook your chicken about 10 minutes per side, but the total cooking time will depend on how thick your chicken thighs are.

Use a digital meat thermometer in the same way to make sure that its reached 165°F at the thickest part avoiding the bone.

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How Long To Grill Chicken Thighs: A Step

Chicken is a staple in many of our kitchens because its affordable and it can be used to whip up tons of delicious recipes. However, for less experienced cooks, its difficult to get the doneness of this protein JUST RIGHT.

A common beginners mistake is to rely solely on sight and touch while cooking. You should know its important to monitor the grills HEAT LEVEL, the chickens INTERNAL TEMPERATURE, and the TIME it spends on the grill too! Read what our grilling experts have to say below.

When Is It Done

Grilled Chicken Thighs – The Secrets to Grilling Perfect Chicken Thighs

The USDA recommends cooking poultry until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Keep in mind that in whole birds the internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees during resting. Check the thigh meat by inserting the probe of a thermometer into the thickest part . If you dont have a thermometer, cut into the center of the meat. The juices should run clear and the meat should no longer be pink at the bone. We recommend using the iGrill app-connected thermometer.

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Do You Grill Chicken On Direct Or Indirect Heat

Place the chicken over direct heat. Cook each side for approximately 6 minutes, or until you see the desired crust, and then move to indirect heat to finish cooking, turning each piece occasionally. Continue cooking until the internal temperature is 160 to 162 degrees F as measured on an instant read thermometer.

How Long To Grill Chicken Thighs

Bone-in grilled chicken thighs should take roughly 14 20 minutes , until the thighs reach 165 170 degrees Fahrenheit. While the USDA says the internal temperature of chicken should reach 165 degrees for a safe temperature, thighs hold up to higher internal temperature and not drying out. At this range, the skin is still nice and the meat is very tender.

The important thing to remember is to continue grilling the chicken until the internal temperature is at least 165 degrees F. Use an instant read thermometer like the Thermoworks MK4 Thermapen for the most accurate and fast temperature reads. And be sure the end of the temperature probe is not touching the bone .

Grilled Chicken Thighs with BBQ Glaze

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Can You Overcook Chicken Thighs

If the meat is mushy, the thigh is undercooked. If you stick a skewer or small knife into the thickest part of the chicken thigh and the juices run clear, the thigh is done. You can even go as high as 180°F because juicy thighs can stand up to a little overcooking without becoming unbearably dry.

How To Grill Boneless Chicken Thighs

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  • Preheat your grill at medium heat .
  • Grill each side for 4-5 minutes. Keep the lid closed between flips so that the heat circulates properly and cooks your chicken evenly.
  • Check to see if the chicken is fully cooked through with an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
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    How To Make The Best Grilled Chicken:

    Add all of the ingredients to a large zip lock bag.

    Seal the bag and shake it around until the chicken thighs are well-coated in oil and seasoning.

    Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally 8.

    If you use a gas grill: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat .

    If you use a charcoal grill: Prepare your coals in a charcoal chimney to heat the coals quickly. Once the coals are hot, arrange them either in the very center of the grill or off to one side , so that there is a cool part of the grill where you can cook on indirect heat. If you dont have a charcoal chimney, arrange the coals in a pile on one side of the grill.

    Place the chicken thighs on the grill grate over direct heat and grill for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the skin turns golden brown. Flip and sear on the other side for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden-brown as well.

    Move chicken pieces to unlit side of grill and cover the grill. Cook, flipping occasionally, until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

    Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a cookie sheet or plate. Let chicken rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This allows the juices in the chicken to distribute throughout the meat, producing an even more tender result.

    Serve with your choice of side dishes and enjoy!

    And repeat!

    Side dish suggestions? In addition to myMayo-Free Pea Salad, here are some of my favorite summer sides for serving with grilled meat.

    To Season Or To Season Very Little

    This post is less a recipe on how to season boneless skinless chicken thighs as it is guidelines for achieving the perfect cook on the grill – we’re talking moist, juicy, smoky chicken thighs!

    When cooking chicken thighs on the grill you DON’T need to marinate first! Kudos to you if you have time/prefer to marinate your chicken thighs before cooking, but ya don’t have to if you don’t wanna. And it’s all thanks to that magically delicious dark meat.

    Season your chicken however you like, with everything from an elaborate marinade or spice rub to plain old salt and pepper. Either way, your grilled chicken thighs will be Delicious with a capital D.

    But I won’t leave you hanging in the seasoning department. I opted for a homemade Spicy Adobo Seasoning for the pictured chicken. Click the link to get the recipe, or check it out below :). I drizzled canola oil over 8 chicken thighs, then showered them with Spicy Adobo Seasoning. I put them in a Ziploc gallon bag for 20-30 minutes before grilling.

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    What To Serve With Chicken

    Chicken legs are a great protein that is delicious and easy to eat. You can serve them as a meal or with a meal.

    There are a million possibilities when it comes to sides to serve with chicken.

    From Roasted Red Potatoes to Garlic & Thyme Roasted Carrots. Steamed broccoli, or even chop the chicken up and serve as a chicken salad slathered with ranch dressing!

    One of our favorite lunches to make are these Sriracha Chicken Wraps. Theyre just easy and delish!

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    Preheat grill to medium-high 400 degrees F.

    Trim any chunky fat off the thighs if you wish

    Pat chicken dry with paper towel

    Oil grill grates

    Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper

    Place legs on grill for 5 minutes.

    Turn and continue grilling and turning every 5 minutes for about 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken has reached an internal temperature of 185 degrees F.

    To get a char, apply your favorite BBQ sauce at the 20-25 minute mark, flip and apply more as you wish.

    So 185 degrees is the magic number for grilling chicken legs use a thermometer to get this internal temp correct. The chicken leg meat will fall off the bone and be juiciest at this temperature.

    Turn the chicken legs every 5 minutes or so to prevent burning the skin and assure youre cooking the chicken legs evenly.

    Tip: Grill with lid closed. If youre lookin you aint cookin!

    Youll want to apply the BBQ sauce early enough that you can apply more to the other side after flipping, and get a nice char all around.

    Grilling Tips For The Best Chicken Thighs

    How to Cook Chicken Legs on the Weber Charcoal Grill

    Wondering why you still cant get it right? Maybe these techniques will help:

    • Buy good quality chicken. A healthy and hormone-free chicken will obviously taste MUCH BETTER than one thats pumped with chemicals. Go for all-natural and free-range options for amazing flavorno matter the cooking method.
    • ALWAYS season your chicken well. Sprinkle on enough salt and pepper before grilling the chicken, so that its natural flavors become much more pronounced. When marinating, leave the sauce on for a few hours for the best results!
    • Monitor the grill temperature. Some grills temperature readings arent so accurate, so pay attention to the heat. If your chicken is browning too quickly, decrease the flame!
    • Keep a CLOSE eye on your chicken. If your grill is prone to flare-ups, move the chicken around so that it doesnt burn. Make sure its cooking evenly throughout the whole process!
    • Use a meat thermometer. This handy kitchen tool is SO HELPFUL because it takes guesswork out of the equation. Although you can slice the chicken to check for signs of pink, using a thermometer is more effective to determine doneness.
    • Try basting LAST! Although you place marinated chicken directly on the grill, some sugary sauces burn FAST, giving your final dish an unpleasant taste. Try basting when the chickens almost cooked through to avoid this!

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    How Much Fat Is There

    Since we are dealing with a natural product, there is some variability but think of a thigh having about two to three times the fat of chicken breasts.

    Here are the numbers from the National Chicken Council. Cooked skin-on thigh has 15.5 grams of fat while a skin-on split chicken breast is 7.8 grams.

    How To Grill Chicken Thighs

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    Grilling chicken thighs is an easy way to make a delicious meal. Season the chicken however you like it, then place the thighs on the grill, paying careful attention to the temperature and time so the chicken doesn’t get dry. Once the chicken thighs are cooked, you can add your favorite sauce and some garnishes to make this tasty dish even better.

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    Do You Grill Chicken Over Direct Or Indirect Fire

    Put the chicken on direct heat. Boil on each side for about 6 minutes, or until you see the desired crust, then over the indirect fire to finish cooking, turning each piece occasionally. Continue cooking until the internal temperature is 160 to 162 degrees F, measured on an instant reading thermometer.

    Grilled Bbq Chicken Thighs

    How to Grill Chicken Thighs on a Weber Charcoal Grill

    by Mike Vrobel · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Join us on the dark side. We have cookies!

    I know the power of the dark sideof the chicken. Now, look on in despair as I use that power to annoy the barbecue purists! Ha! Haha! Hahahahaha! Ha..ahem. Sorry.

    Im cooking dark meat chicken thighs high and hot, not low and slow.2I know, I know, death to the unbeliever, defiler of the one true cooking method, etc, etc I love the chicken shreds when I cook it low and slow, but the skin? Flabby and chewy. Blech. When I do make pulled chicken, the skin is the first thing I throw away.

    Thats a tragedy. Browned, crackling chicken skin is my favorite part of the bird – almost more than the dark meat – and I dont want to toss it aside. High heat roasting on the grill gives me the crisp skin I love.

    Now, Ive gone on and on about the benefits of homemade barbecue rub and barbecue sauce, but dont let that stop you from trying this recipe. Good store bought rubs and sauces work just fine. But, if you find yourself at the store every other weekend in the summer, buying another bottle of sauce or jar of rub, try making a big batch of your own. Youll be amazed how easy it is to do.

    • Total Time:1 hour 5 minutes
    • Yield:81x

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    How Do You Make Goosebumps Crispy On The Grill

    Season the chicken skin with salt and grill the skin over medium heat until the fat has melted and the skin is nice and crispy. Keep the heat low if it gets too high, the fat will burn instead of cooking and melting slowly. Turn the chicken over and grill, skin side up, for a few minutes until cooked through.

    Grilled Chicken Thighs With Adobo Sauce

    Flip the chicken and place it back on the same hot spot for the same amount of time. When the other side has achieved your preferred coloring, move the chicken to the top rack or a cooler part of the grill. Use a thermometer to check that each thigh has an internal temperature of 155 F, and then remove from the grill. While it rests, the chicken will continue cooking to 165 F.

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    How Long Do I Grill Chicken Thighs

    Once the grill is ready, place the seasoned thighs on the grate top-side down. Cover the grill and cook for 6 7 minutes. At this point the thighs should release from the grate easily, if they dont use a carving fork placed between the grates of the grill to help release them. Turn the thighs over and cook for another 6 7 minutes. The USDA recommends cooking poultry to 165F. I check the thighs by inserting an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the meat to make sure they are cooked through. If you opt for bone-in chicken thighs the cooking times are 10 12 minutes per side but the internal temperature of 165F remains the same. When inserting the thermometer, make sure it isnt touching the bone as this will give you a false reading.

    I know Ive said this before, but make sure to allow the meat to rest before you serve it. This gives time for the juices to redistribute through the meat. Five minutes should do the trick.

    If you prefer white meat, check out my post for perfectly grilled chicken breasts.

    About Christine

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